adapted from: Favorite Family Recipes
Marinade:
3 Tbl. all-purpose flour
2 Tbl. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbl. soy sauce
3 Tbl. water
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 dash sesame oil
1 Lb. chicken, cubed
Sauce:
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 Tbl. rice vinegar
2 Tbl. soy sauce
1 dash sesame oil
1-2 tsp. chili paste (depending on how spicy you want it)
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 c. cold water
vegetable oil, for frying
1 c. all-purpose flour
sesame seeds, for garnish
noodles or rice, for serving
Combine all marinade ingredients until smooth and pour over cubed chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. When ready to start cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chicken broth, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili paste, garlic and ginger to saucepan and stir until smooth; bring to a boil. Dissolve cornstarch in water and stir into boiling sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
In a deep fryer or saucepan, heat oil to a temperature of 375 degrees. Coat individual chicken pieces in flour and drop battered pieces into the hot oil, a few at a time. Fry until they turn golden brown and float to the top of the oil, 3-4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat until all chicken is cooked*. To serve, pour the sauce over the fried chicken pieces and toss together until all pieces are coated. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately with noodles, stir-fried vegetables or rice.
Serves: 3-4
*Keep cooked chicken pieces warm by placing them in a warm oven while you finish cooking all of the remaining pieces.
Jenn's Notes: Instead of deep-frying my chicken, I added a little oil to a skillet and pan-fried them, a few minutes per side. I found the chili paste in the refrigerated part of the produce section at the grocery store.